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Dolphins are a Boom or Bust Team in 2025: There is No Middle Ground

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Mike Oliva | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 10:41 AM ET

Dolphins are a Boom or Bust Team in 2025: There is No Middle Ground

The 2025 Miami Dolphins will either surpass all of our expectations and surprise the NFL media and rational, level-headed Dolphins fans.

They will be holding a Top 5 draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

I genuinely do not see a middle ground with this team this upcoming season.

I think everything is going to click, or the entire bottom will fall out, and it will be a disaster.

BOOM

Let’s talk about how this season can be a boom. I think the formula is simple.

Tua Tagovaloia stays healthy and plays a full season.

Patrick Paul makes people forget about Terron Armstead.

Austin Jackson gives you close to a full season and doesn’t miss many games like he has in 2022 and 2024.

Jonah Savaiinaea doesn’t play like a rookie.

Chop Robinson, Jaelan Phillips, and Bradley Chubb all have double-digit sacks (well, at least 2 out of 3 have double-digit sacks, and the 3rd is close)

Storm Duck is a capable NFL starting CB.

Minkah Fitzpatrick has a Pro Bowl season.

Jake Bailey or Ryan Stonehouse (whoever wins the punter competitions) doesn’t completely stink.

Another cornerback on this roster (or someone they pick up in the next 3-4 weeks) is a capable NFL starter

Mike McDaniel wins a few challenges, sticks to the running game, and doesn’t make goofy decisions and go for it on 4th down early in games for no logical reason.

BUST

Tua misses 4-5 games

Patrick Paul looks like an unproven 2nd year player with no experience

The Dolphins’ offensive line suffers injuries, and their lack of depth cripples the offense

Tyreek Hill has a meltdown or gets into more off-field trouble

The Dolphins’ secondary is as bad in reality as it is on paper, and marginal quarterbacks we face (ie, Anthony Richardson, Justin Fields, whoever Cleveland plays against us) as their best passing day of their season vs us.

Bradley Chubb and Jalean Phillips get injured again.

Mike McDaniel is calling for bubble screens on 3rd and one plays when we are averaging around 5 yards per carry in a game.

Zach Wilson is…..ZACH WILSON, when he does play.

Minkah Fitzpatrick makes the Pittsburgh Steelers look really smart for unloading him on us at the perfect time as his game declines.

CONCLUSION

I know, some of you may be thinking, well, what if some of the BOOM stuff happens and some of the BUST stuff happens and we are around a .500 team? Yeah, it’s possible, I just don’t think it’s likely.

I think this season is going to snowball one way or another.

Either we come out of the gate fast, gain confidence, and ride that wave of success the entire season.

Or, everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and the rash of injuries that seems to hit Miami every season will again this year.

We are all hoping for the BOOM and for the Dolphins to win around 10 games and make the playoffs, and hopefully snap that playoff losing streak.

But if you told me next April we are picking 4th overall, I wouldn’t say I am shocked.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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